Which Boat To Buy?

[BarryL]

Hello,

It''s winter and I can''t sail but I can daydream...

My wife has hinted that perhaps we should get a new boat. I don''t believe she''s serious, and I don''t think we need (or can afford) a new boat, but indulge me...

Assuming a budget of $125K or so, and the following requirements, which boat would you select?

1. Boat would be used mostly for day sails on the Long Island Sound. I like to sail, a lot. In ''04 I was on the boat probably twice a week. Most trips would be 2-4 hours in duration. Nothing special, just leave the harbor, sail around the sound, then return. Maybe anchor and swim, or have dinner.

2. Sometimes I sail solo (maybe 10-20% of the time), more often there would be 2 adults and 3 kids (4, 7, 10), occasionally 4 adults and 4 kids.

3. A few weekend trips, maybe 1 per month. There would be the five of us on the boat for the weekend trips. I would like to be able to take another person or two on the weekend trips. I would expect that the extra person would be a kid, and would either double up or sleep outside. The season is May - October.

4. Maybe 1 longer trip, say 1-2 weeks in duration, for the family of five.

5. I have not done any racing, nor do I plan on it. However, the idea of racing is interesting.

6. Performance under sail is important to me. Motoring performance isn''t. I would prefer the sailing performance of a standard main over the convenience of a furling main. I like to fly an asymetric spinnaker for performance.

So, assuming all that, what boat would be best? So far I have identified the Hunter 33 as a real candidate. I''m not wild about the styling or the arch, but otherwise it would be perfect. The C&C 99 looks great, but is on the expensive side. The Catalina 320 would be a nice boat, but I don''t know about the performance. I don''t know much about the Jeanneau 32. What other boats are out there, and which would be best?

Thanks for any comments.

Barry

[maestro]

Barry , I dream as well (even though I bought my latest boat last spring) and I know right now that my next boat will be a J Boat. Performance, quality, superior sailing characteristics, easily sailed shorthanded. Take a look at a J34C. It''s in your price range and it sails like a dream (having sailed on one a few times over the past few years)
If you can step up with the $ the J109 has even more performance....
my $.02

[sail1414]

Your needs sound similar to what I was looking for. I just purchased a J110.
They are kind of hard to find. You
may look at a J35c, almost identicle to
the 110 less sprit and swim platform.
You will be happy with the sailing qualities
and the layout is good for a family
your size.
You will find at least one on yachtworld,
and I think it''s in NY.

[Heruka]

check out the new Tartan 34. they haven''t completed hull #1 yet, but they''ve already sold 24 of them. it has a base price of $109k or something like that.

[max-on]

Do you mean the Tartan 3400? Are you sure abouut the base price?

[Heruka]

yes, the Tartan 3400. not 100% sure abut the base price, but this is what I was told. I questioned this also.